Exhibit: Prison Nations

The library is pleased to host a new exhibit, Prison Nation: Posters on the Prison Industrial Complex, an exhibition from the archives of Center for the Study of Political Graphics. Prison Nation was produced from vintage posters in CSPG’s archive and posters collected from throughout the US and internationally. The oldest posters date back to the 1960s and 1970s, and include posters from the Viet Nam War and Attica prison uprising. CSPG is continually updating its exhibitions so the most recent posters were produced in 2008. Graphic design classes from three universities—Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, and Frostburg State University, Maryland—focused on Prison Nation and ten student posters are included. CSPG also linked several artists with grassroots groups working on prison issues. The powerful posters that resulted from these collaborations will continue to be important organizing tools.

The Center for the Study of Political Graphics (CSPG) collects, preserves, documents and exhibits posters relating to historic and contemporary movements for social change. Through its diverse programming, CSPG is reclaiming the power of art to educate and inspire people to action.